


Secret Santa

by IlluminateMe



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Christmas, F/F, Flashbacks, Holidays, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IlluminateMe/pseuds/IlluminateMe
Summary: The Avengers do secret Santa. What could go wrong?
Relationships: Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 8
Kudos: 52





	Secret Santa

Steve jogged down the empty first floor hallway of the Avengers complex. He stopped in front of Maria’s office and tapped lightly on the door. 

“Come in.” 

Steve pushed the door open and leaned awkwardly against Maria’s bookshelf. He scanned the office before his eyes landed on Maria, who continued to type vigorously at her computer. 

“You seem busy?” said Steve. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that as a question.”

Maria hummed and took another mission report from the pile of papers at the edge of her desk. She opened the manila folder and began to sort the various documents Tony had delivered earlier in the day.

“I meant you’re working too hard and should take a break,” Steve said eventually, after he was met with silence. “Christmas is next week.”

Maria put her pen down and groaned, finally looking Steve in the eye. “And the sky is blue.”

He glanced at the window behind Maria. “Actually, not right now because it’s dark outside, but in the morning – “

“Rogers. All I’ve heard for the past month is ‘I’m so excited for Christmas,’ ‘Guess where I’m going for Christmas’ – from most of you, at least. If my work is done by then, I’ll take a break.”

Steve offered a tight lipped smile and crossed his arms. “I knew you would say that.” 

“I’ve got some stuff to finish before I call it a day, what did you want to ask me?”

“Promise you won’t shoot this idea down?”

Maria chuckled and shook her head. “No guarantees. But if it’s Christmas related you know I will.”

“I know, I know, you’re not a huge holiday fan. Hear me out – secret Santa.” 

“Secret _what_?”

“Santa,” Steve said, pacing back and forth. “You know what that is right? We all draw a name out of a hat and then buy that person a gift.” 

“Who’s participating?”

Steve shrugged. “Oh you know…just everyone.” 

“For some reason I don’t believe that,” Maria replied, her tone steady. The last thing she wanted to do was show any kind of positive emotion towards this tacky event.

“Myself, Tony, Thor, Clint, Nat, Wanda, Bruce, Rhodey, and Sam.” He held nine fingers up. “Ten if you join. We need an even number of people.”

Maria was impressed he had managed to get everyone on board. “It doesn’t matter if you have an odd number, you realize that, right?”

“Ten sounds better than nine?” Steve tried. “Come on, it’ll be fun. I got Nat to do it, and she was reluctant at first. So was Tony.”

 _Natasha_. Maria sighed and closed her eyes. She had no reason not to participate, but she knew there was a chance she could draw Natasha’s name and it would be awkward if that happened. 

“Okay, you know what, fine. I’m in.” Maria put her hands up as a show of surrender. 

“Wait really? Tomorrow in the lounge, 9 pm, we’ll draw names then.” Steve waved goodbye and slammed Maria’s door. 

“Sorry about that, no turning back now!” she heard him holler down the hall.

\---------------

Everyone was chatting loudly when Maria entered the lounge. She spotted Natasha, Tony, Wanda, and Clint conversing over glasses of wine in one corner, while the other Avengers were making bets on ‘who would pick who’ in the opposite corner. 

Thor slammed his fist on the table. “You all know what to get me! And if I get myself, too bad!”

“Beer it is,” Rhodey muttered, putting a hand on Thor’s shoulder. “I pray I get you, man.”

“I’m also betting I get Thor,” Bruce announced. “Easiest to shop for. Food, beer…I got this.”

“Keep an open mind, only one of us can get him. And I mean, if you don’t like your gift you can just throw it away after,” said Sam. 

Steve facepalmed. “Dude, not the point of this but anyway…”

Maria tuned out of the conversation and directed her attention toward Natasha’s table. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but clearly Clint had made them all laugh with one of his bad jokes. Natasha looked up from her drink and gave Maria a polite smile. Tony noticed and craned his neck, waving at Maria.

“Rogers! We’re all here now!” Tony yelled across the room.

_God, was everyone drunk or something?_

“Alright, let’s get this started! Come over to this table,” Steve said. 

Maria made her way over to Steve and stood beside him. Tony slid into the empty spot to her right and gave Maria a slap on the back.

“Glad you decided to join.”

“Sam, pass me the hat with the names,” Steve called out. “Okay, so here’s how it’s going to work. If one person draws their own name, we do it again until we all have someone different. $30 budget, six days to get the gift. And one more thing – don’t buy anything work related.”

“Are you sure those are _all_ the rules?” Tony asked sarcastically.

“Shut up. Who wants to draw first?” 

“I’ll go,” Natasha said. She dipped her hand in the pile of cut up paper and chose a name. “You’re kidding me.”

“Who is it?” asked Bruce.

“It’s a secret,” Natasha said, rolling her eyes. “Why don’t you go next.”

After watching two Natasha and Bruce draw names, Maria decided she would go last because there wouldn’t be as much suspense or disappointment. There would only be one name left, with no other choices.

“Hill, it’s my honor to present you the last name,” Steve bowed, handing her the folded piece of paper.

Maria punched him in the shoulder. “Thanks. Well, that was somewhat enjoyable, I’m going to sleep now, see you all tomorrow.”

Maria went upstairs and she could hear the Avengers resume their partying. Earplugs would be needed tonight. She took the secret Santa name from her front pocket and opened it. What she had dreaded, was now reality. Even with Steve’s terribly messy handwriting, it would be impossible to mistake the name for anything other than Natasha’s. 

_Screw secret Santa._

\---------------

**5 months ago**

“Hill, you are coming to the party tonight…right?” asked Tony during breakfast. Usually he would join Maria, Steve, and Clint and they would eat together in peace before anyone else woke up.

“If I wasn’t before, I am now,” Maria joked. “Of course I am.”

“Great, I’ll see you all there. It’ll be a wild night, no work talk there, okay?” Tony stood up and left the kitchen. 

Steve burst out laughing. “Do any of you even know what this party is for? I sure as hell don’t!”

“Seems like some kind of billionaire convention to me,” Clint said. “Important for him, but an excuse for us to get w-a-s-t-e-d.”

“All of you are lucky it’s the weekend tomorrow,” Maria warned. 

“You can afford to let loose too,” Clint said. “It’ll be fun, and if you get bored of us you can always talk to Nat and Wanda. Maybe some other people you know will be there.”

“Yeah, I’ll probably end up hanging with you guys. Anyway, I better get some work done before tonight.”

\---------------

Tony was hosting his party in the penthouse of one of his Midtown investments. The view from the balcony almost made the time and effort it took for Maria to get ready worth it. 

“You look great,” Steve marveled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress.”

“You haven’t.” Maria turned around to see Steve in a simple navy suit. “You look handsome. Trying to impress someone?”

“Maybe. I’ll talk to her later, let’s get drinks.”

Steve slid the balcony door closed and led them to the bar, where Natasha, Clint, and Bruce were talking.

“Well, seems like we managed to find each other amid the chaos,” Clint chuckled. “Here, take these two beers, we’ve had too many to count. Cheers!” 

Maria shot Natasha a concerned look and pointed at the two shot glasses on the bar counter. “Natasha, I hope you weren’t planning on drinking those.”

“It’s fine, I can handle it, we’ve barely had anything so far,” Natasha said. 

“Well that’s weird because a minute ago Clint said – never mind, I’m taking these,” Maria said, as she took both of the shots. “That’s how you do it!”

Clint whistled. “All right Hill, let’s go! Steve, your turn, man!”

Steve scratched his head. “Sorry to disappoint but I can’t get drunk, remember? I think we need to get you away from the bar, though. Ladies, Bruce, we’ll be back.”

“Hey, where are you going?” Bruce called as he ran after Steve and Clint.

“And then there were two,” Natasha smiled. 

“Yeah,” Maria breathed out. _Wow, she’s stunning._ “So, how’s your work going? You haven’t been around much lately.”

Natasha moved closer until her elbow was nearly touching Maria’s arm. “Hill, I’m going to stop you there. What was Tony’s one rule?”

“Uh, we shouldn’t be talking about work here?”

“Exactly. So…what type of beer do you like?”

\---------------

Maria pushed the balcony door open and bent over the railing, taking in the warm summer air. She was buzzed, but still fully aware of her surroundings, unlike some of Tony’s other guests. The door opened and Maria was expecting Steve to appear, letting her know it was time to go home. Instead, Natasha stepped out and joined Maria at the railing. 

“Hey, Nat. Having fun?” 

“Greeeaaaaaaat,” Natasha slurred. 

_Shit._ “How much did you end up drinking?”

“Don’t know.”

Maria hesitated, unsure of what to do next. “Do you think you can have a conversation or should I take you home?”

“I’m good, the fresh air really helps. Just give me a minute.”

“Sure, no problem. I-I also wanted to say that you look beautiful.” _Way to go Hill, she won’t even remember this in the morning._

Natasha seemed to sober up from hearing that and the glassiness from her eyes disappeared. “So do you.”

They stood in a comfortable silence before Natasha suddenly lurched forward, giving Maria a quick peck on the lips.

“I’m so sorry, Maria I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry – “

“It’s okay, I’m just confused,” Maria interrupted. 

Before Natasha could respond, she turned on her heels and disappeared back into the party. Maria tried to follow her, but there were too many bodies in the way. She spotted Steve and Bruce and called them over. 

“Can you guys do me a favor? Find Nat and take her home. Clint as well.”

**End flashback**

\---------------

There were two days before the secret Santa gifts would be unveiled and Maria had spent the entire day mulling over ideas, to no avail. Natasha was easily the most difficult person to shop for because she never asked for anything, so no one knew what she liked.

The incident from the summer was also on Maria’s mind. They hadn’t talked much since then except for when they had to be cordial at meetings and in common areas. They weren’t as close as they used to be, but they were also more then they used to be. Maria knew that the gift for Natasha would have to be something that forced them to talk about where they stood and if the kiss meant anything more.

“Are you in there?” came Steve’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Come in.”

“I’ll be out of here in a minute, just checking to see if you’ve bought anything yet…we’re two days away now.”

Maria smiled at him and nodded. “I have actually.”

\---------------

Everyone put their identical bags on the table and Steve shuffled them.

“This is how it’s going to work – each of us will take a bag at random, open the name tag, and hand it to the right person. One at a time, though. I’ll go first.”

Steve pulled a bag from the middle and read the name. “Thor. Here you go.”

Thor grabbed the bag and pulled out ten cans of beer. “Someone listened!”

Maria watched nervously as the night progressed, until finally, Bruce took the second last bag and announced “Natasha.”

Natasha opened the bag and took a blank card out. She quickly read it and placed it on the table. 

`Meet me on the roof at 9`

“Okay, who’s next?” Natasha asked, smiling through her confusion. She scanned the room looking for a reaction from anyone, but it seemed as though everyone was concentrating on the last gift. Was this supposed to be a prank from one of the guys? She figured it wouldn’t do any harm to see what this was about.

\---------------

Maria buttoned her coat and looked at her watch. It was 9:05 and she wondered if Natasha would show. As if on que, the door opened and Natasha stepped out into the snow. She smiled at Maria before looking around for any sign of her mysterious secret Santa.

“Natasha,” Maria sighed. “Meet me on the roof at 9.”

“Hill, what – how did you know?”

“I wrote it.”

“I’m not really following,” Natasha said, stepping closer. You got me for secret Santa and this is the gift?”

“Well…kind of, but not really? I was hoping we could talk and I have something to ask you.”

“I’m intrigued, go on.”

“I think you know what I’m about to say. Things haven’t been the same between us since the summer, when, you know.”

“Since I kissed you,” Natasha said casually.

Maria swallowed. “Yeah. What are we, Nat?”

“I don’t know. But I’m attracted to you. We just haven’t had time to talk about this, and technically you’re my boss, so…”

“I feel the same,” Maria grinned. “Trying to avoid you this whole time was ridiculous.”

“Mhm, so did you want to ask me something?”

“Uh, yeah, I was wondering if you would want to go to dinner with me? Like that would be the ‘gift’ part of this, I don’t know if that makes sense – “

Natasha grabbed Maria’s hands and led them back inside. “I’d love to.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was in a holiday mood!
> 
> Also this is who everyone got:  
> Natasha-->Tony  
> Bruce-->Wanda  
> Steve-->Clint  
> Tony-->Rhodey  
> Thor-->Maria  
> Clint-->Sam  
> Sam-->Steve  
> Rhodey-->Bruce  
> Wanda-->Thor  
> Maria-->Natasha


End file.
